


Nothing Left But The Fall

by Apollos_Emissary



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-04-18 02:07:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14202717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apollos_Emissary/pseuds/Apollos_Emissary
Summary: The City and its Guardians stand triumphant in the year of peace after the SIVA Crisis. However, they must stay vigilant, as even the strongest can be struck down. And for four Guardians, this trial will be the hardest yet.





	1. Incursion

**Author's Note:**

> This work aims to stay within canon, but I took some liberties to help pull the world together more. I hope you all enjoy, and if you'd like to learn more about any of the Guardians, you can find my rp blog at guardians-of-the-light.tumblr.com !

 

The young Huntress bounced up the stairs leading to the Tower plaza with a grin wide across her face. Today was long awaited, she’d saved up months of Glimmer and proved her worth with many bounties to get to this day. It was the day she would buy her new Sparrow, a vibrant S-30V with an enhanced stealth drive. She'd just gotten the last of her Glimmer from Shaxx and clearance from Cayde. In reality, she didn't need his approval but she was far too excited to take chances.

She stopped by one of the tall vault terminals before continuing to the hangar. Her reflection beamed her smile back at her from the inactive interface screen. Her skin was a smooth caramel, dark freckles peppering her upper cheeks and nose. Her once short and bouncy dreadlocks had grown long and thick, forcing her to pull them back into a ponytail with a couple shorter locs draped to the side. The energy in her hazel eyes seemed accentuated by the glossy orange lipstick layered over her full lips.

She straightened the collar of her cloak, one of the many details of her appearance she was very particular about. The length of the cloak brandished the eagle of the Cloud Walker Tribute; the rest of her light armor a matching red, white and black scheme.  She put in her lock pattern and the display lit up. Her fingers were quick, transferring the last of Glimmer and marks into her personal storage deck before closing out and making her way towards the hangar. As she approached the corridor, she took a look over the Tower edge at the distant city. The evening sun had begun to tint the valley a warm orange, lazy rays glittering from distant skyscrapers beneath the Traveler’s protective presence. For a moment she felt a happiness deeper than her simple excitement. A warmth for the cause she was raised for, and the peace it brought to the small city she called home. A transport ship rising from the familiar patterns of buildings broke her moment of thought and she ducked into the hallway — even though the ceiling was several meters high.

As she rounded the bend into the expansive hangar, she pulled a small tablet from one of her pockets along her thigh. It showed everything she needed to buy her sparrow. She'd overcompensated and was now obsessing, but after the quick glance over she stowed it again and skipped down the stairs.

Several incomplete Sparrow frames hung from the work level’s fence-like wall which overlooked the main hangar floor. Beneath the frames a woman worked on a different frame in the company of one other, sparks showering the floor at the stair’s base.

The Huntress stopped just shy of the spray and called out. “Holliday!”

Neither moved, both workers fixated on their task. She started to call out again but stopped short, thinking of another way to grab their attention. She glanced around, her eyes settling on a decently sized screw resting by her foot.

She stepped aside and angled her foot to nick the screw. It came off higher than expected and clacked against the man's face shield. He recoiled at the impact, clicked off his blow torch and  lifted his facemask to search for the source. When his eyes landed on the amused Huntress, she got a sharp glare.

“Get! Amanda!” She shouted, gesturing to the woman.

He huffed and reached around the Sparrow frame to tap the woman's arm. She flipped up her mask, looked over at her guest and rose to meet her, the other mechanic moving over to take her place.

“Sorry 'bout that, Guardian.” her voice held an old accent, warm and inviting. One few others were alive to hear as commonplace, and even fewer who remembered the southern area where it originated. “Hard to make out most of what's around you with this thing on. So, what can I do for ya?”

Her eyes wandered around the hangar for a moment as she spoke, avoiding Amanda's gaze. “Yeah, uh, you still have one of the S-30’s around?”

A crooked grin slid across Holliday's face as she removed her gloves, “Ah, you're lookin’ to buy a Sparrow huh?” She turned to head up to her worktable, talking as she went and the Huntress followed. “Yeah, I've still got a couple. They're gonna be the last ones for a while, more ship blueprints have been coming in lately; gotta prioritize now. There's only so many of us.”

Her table and kiosks sat on a raised section so she could see around the hangar without moving, but was wasn't secluded from the rest of the area. Holliday set down her gloves and mask, bringing out a large display tablet with specs and information on the S-30.

She slid it over to the Huntress and braced herself on the table, “It’s an older model so they won't handle as nice as the newer ones.”

“I know.” She blurted, scrolling through the information.

Holliday tilted her head at the Guardian, her brow furrowing for a moment. “I've seen you here before.”

“Yeah.”

“You were here last week askin’ about one of these.” She paused with an amused head shake. “Twice.”

“Yep.” Her voice lowered this time, still scrolling on the tablet. “That was me.”

“What's your name, hon?”

She looked up at Holliday and gave a smile.

“Thalia.”

“Thalia.” She repeated, returning her smile. “Pretty little thing.” she paused for a moment. “First Sparrow?”

“Well, my mentor gave me a base model a while ago.” she hummed

“It’s your first.” Holliday consoled before starting off towards the stairs, “Come on down to the floor, let's make sure your ride’s in workin’ order.”

Thalia eyed Holliday as she made her way around the table and down the steps. Her smile widened further and she set the tablet down.

“Ah ah-” Holliday cut in. “-sign the bottom, _then_ meet me down there.”

 

Thalia's footsteps were quickly lost in the cacophony of whirring engines and mechanical winding as she stepped into the vast hangar floor. A small Future War Cult ship ascended from beneath the floor on one of the many rising launch pads. The red, white and yellow stripes along the wings of its blue body were a dead giveaway. The cockpit was tinted an odd salmon-red and she could barely make out the figure of a Warlock settling into its seat.

“Thalia!”

She turned towards the sound of her name before the deafening roar of the ship's engine ignition made her heart leap into her throat. She'd ducked down by reflex, and when she stood up again she saw Holliday chuckling beside a fully formed Sparrow. The workstation’s two small crane arms suspended the vehicle at Holliday's waist

Thalia hurried over, watching the ship depart from the launch bay. When she got within earshot of Holliday, she jabbed a thumb towards where the ship was.

“Is that… common?”

“You're in the hangar, hon.” Holliday jested before gesturing above them. “There's a PA. Alerts all arrivals and departures. Take it you missed that.”

Thalia's eyebrows raised slightly as she glanced up. “I can never tell what that thing is saying if we're being completely honest.”

A chuckle from Holliday, “It makes more sense the longer ya hear it.” She ran a hand along the Sparrow’s wing. “Anything else I can help ya with?”

Thalia had a hard time taking her eyes off of the vehicle since she’d came downstairs, but only now had it slowed her responses. Her gaze snapped back to Holliday before reaching back into her thigh pouch to pull the tablet again.

“Oh, yes actually.” She navigated through the interface before handing it over. “Could I get one of these installed too?”

Holliday took hold of the tablet and eyed the screen. “You want a stealth drive installed?

“Mhm.”

Holliday cast a glance at Thalia over the tablet, a dubious amusement in her gaze. “For your stealth assignments?”

Thalia caught Holliday's gaze as she eyed her up and down, now suddenly aware how contrasting her bold armor was to the general idea of stealth.

She winced as she spoke, not out of embarrassment or pain, but more of admittance.

“Yeeaahhh, except more because the trail is red and I like the extra speed.”

“Mmm,” Holliday hummed, “sounds more like it. You know there’s gonna be another installation fee right?”

Thalia’s wince was more authentic this time. “How much?”

“5,000 Glimmer.”

Thalia visibly recoiled. “You serious?”

“Nope, don’t sweat it darlin’.” Holliday waved her off as she turned to work on the vehicle, “She’ll be ready in a few.”

Thalia’s mouth gaped for a split second before closing into a smirk, “Don’t you need the actual drive?”

“I said don’t sweat it, yeah?”

Thalia couldn’t hold back the grin that spread across her face, and she let out a grateful giggle, turning to let Holliday work in relative peace. As she hopped up the stairs, the static burst from her Ghost’s appearance sparked at her shoulder. Its shell matching red with her armor with white laurels reaching up its face.

“Tower has been put on level two warning.” His voice was dull and carried a heavy old English accent.

“What’s the dea-”

“-Inclimate weather.”

With that, he vanished into her armor. Thalia exhaled, an irritated twist of her lips as she looked over towards the gaping opening of the hangar. The relationship between Guardian and Ghost was — ideally — complimentary, supportive even. Yet she found herself with a blunt, bored, crass companion. Caesar’s attitude tended to help with concise callouts and updates on the battlefield, but when things slowed down in normal conversation, pleasant exchanges were few and far between. Their polar opposite personalities clashed often, but as she began to grow used to him, she felt accosted far less frequently.

She could vaguely make out the dark line of clouds rolling behind the mountains far beyond the City’s perimeter. It had been a while since the area had any major rains, this one would be rough.

Back in the main work level, Thalia walked up the stairs to Holliday’s workstation. She found a row of crates lining the fence and took a seat, looking out at the various frames and mechanics mulling about in the massive hangar. Her mind began to wander off, wondering what it would be like to be enveloped in this world of machines every day. What it would be like to be what her father would call a ‘grease monkey’.

There was a sudden pang of grief at the thought. Her wounds still fresh, even after the long year and a half from her resurrection. She was one of the rare few. One of those who remembered their lives before their deaths. Both blessing and curse, she never knew the empty feeling that came with the inability to remember the past. Most got over it within a year or so, some are plagued by the pain of never knowing who raised them, whether they loved someone; who they used to be. However, those who did remember faced a different hell. Remembering those who they will never see, those who are long dead, and remembering a world they can never enter again is a stress that weighs heavily on the mind.

A deep roll of thunder jolted her from her thoughts, her eyes flitting up to look out of the hangar again. The storm didn’t seem like it had moved far, but lightning visibly arced through the dark clouds. She thought nothing of it until another rumble rocked through the Tower.

She sat up, concern on her features as she looked around the hangar.

“Caesar?”

A deep buzz of an alarm blared from all around and inactive lights along the walls suddenly flooded the hangar in red. The impossibly calm voice over the intercom was quickly lost in the ensuing uproar of panicked voices.

Thalia bolted upright, her hands drifting towards the sidearms holstered at each thigh. Caesar appeared at her shoulder as well, looking around the environment. She looked over the railing for Holliday on the launch floor to find her guiding a group of mechanics to the nearby exit corridor. She whirled around to catch up to her, skipping down the stairs and making the jog to where she ushered the crew. The once motionless ship racks whirred to life, preparing ships for launch as she weaved past frantic civilians.

“Holliday!” she shouted once she’d gotten closer. “What’s going on?”

The group of people dispersed and Holliday turned to the approaching Guardian, her eyes wide with urgency. “Not sure yet, we’ve got birds headed out to see what’s what. Can’t be anything good-”

Thalia’s throat closed as a dampened explosion rocked through the hangar. She whirled around as one boom became a rolling thunder just outside the hangar.

“Scramble all fighters! If you've got a job, get to it!” Holliday's voice gained a rare intensity as she took hold of the situation. “Everyone else get clear of the launch floor and head to an evac shuttle!”

Thalia's Ghost hovered up to her, “Incoming from the emergency channel.” his nodes expanded and the transmission played through his shell. Gunfire cracked intermittently through the stern voice.

_ << This is Commander Zavala. We are under attack from Red Legion forces! Civilians: get to the evac points! Guardians: rendezvous at the plaza! Our city will not fall! >> _

Caesar’s shell collapsed to his normal size and Thalia stood still for a moment, processing the weight of the situation. Her stomach tied itself in knots and she took in a fast, deep breath. Her hands and face tingled from the rising anxiety.

“Get goin’ then!”

Holliday's voice snapped her back to the situation and her hazel eyes met energetic green. Thalia gave a curt nod and rushed to the main walkway. She grasped at the air in front of her and her helmet materialized in her hands, courtesy of her Ghost. Her free hand held her loose locs still as the other slid her helmet into place, radar and tactical information flickering onto her visor. The walkway was elevated from the bay floor but taking the stairs as usual was out of the question. The various storage crates and machinery would be her fastest way out. She flipped up her hood and took a leap atop one of the large crates. As she scaled, her focus began to build, each bound from crate to crate becoming more effortless. She reached the mesh covered fence and vaulted over, one hand grazing the top as she fell to the other side. Her landing was smooth until her balance was thrown off by another explosion, much closer.

Chunks of the cement wall sprayed in her face, clacking against her visor and she tucked her head down, bringing a hand up to shield herself. When the rumble of crumbling stone subsided, another sound rose to take its place. A tight hissing from just to her right, a little below. Thalia opened her eyes and saw the exposed red pipeline, a small jet of orange flame protruding from a breach in its side.

Her eyes widened and rolled to face the walkway edge, her voice shrill with panic.

“GET DOWN!”

A ragged burst of flame and the walkway erupted, three explosions along the pipeline’s length decimated the hangar commons. Molten metal and stone rained over the launch bay floor as the blast swept outwards. The Huntress’ armor was no match for the immense force, sending her scorched frame careening back down to the floor. Her scream of agony silenced shortly after its production. Then nothing.

 

She felt a pull at her being and she gasped for air, her heart racing wildly as her eyes blazed back to life. The air was hot and stifling, as if she were in an oven. Her helmet filtered the air she breathed, guarding her from the haze that hung low over the metal floor. Sound filtered back to her as her consciousness returned, a muddled mess of clattering objects, and voices.

“Thalia!”

She looked up, searching for the voice, but saw nothing familiar aside from the silhouettes of fleeing civilians. Gunfire cracked to her left and she recoiled, jerking to look  up at the source. A Titan towered over her, sending fire downrange. Regal armor of the Iron Banner blackened by both paint and battle, accented with bright orange covered her frame. A smoldering hammer hooked to her mark, and a grizzly Raze Lighter kissed with flame sheathed on her back. Her hardened gaze, simply two black slants cut into the face of her helmet, snapped from target to target. Korena, Sunbreaker, Thalia’s fireteam mate and senior member of the Firebreak Order.

“Get up!”

Several smaller storage crates created a small patch of cover where the two were. Still on her hands and knees, part of her was exposed and she grunted as she pushed herself behind the crates. She pulled her sidearms and pressed her back to the crates.

“Where’s Thane?” She managed to say, and although they were beside each other, the only audible response was what crackled through the comms.

“Still on Venus.” Four more rounds popped loud. “They’re jamming our comms. Shortwave still works in close proximity, but we can barely hold contact with the City; offworld is a lost cause.”

Korena’s magazine clicked dry and she ducked down to reload. Thalia stretched out her hand, expecting Caesar to form before her, but the air stayed still. Panic flared up in her chest for a moment until Korena spoke up.

“He’s safe.” She pulled the red Ghost from one of her belt pouches and held him out for Thalia. “He took a hit before I got here.”

Thalia set one of her sidearms down and gingerly took him into her hands. His red shell bore a blast mark across the front, his optic cracked and dark. The sight nearly pulled tears from her eyes as she wiped her thumb over his optic. She felt a twitch, so soft her eyes didn't even recognize the movement. A warm tingle filtered through her fingers and into her palm, a grasp of the Light they shared. He wasn't gone yet.

A wave of relief passed through her, followed by a surge of anger. She stowed him away in her largest belt pouch and swiped her second sidearm from the ground. A puff of hot air escaped her lips and her eyes flitted up to the Titan. “How long was I out?”

“I don't know.” Irritation seemed to build in her tone as she cocked her rifle. “And ultimately not important. Now, am I gonna be taking care of this myself, or are you going to get up and do something?”

With that, she pulled an incendiary grenade from her belt and chucked it over the crates. Thalia couldn’t see her expression but Korena's iron resolve seemed infectious, passing over the young Huntress and bringing in her focus. Her grip on her sidearms tightened and when the grenade detonated they both vaulted over the crates.

Two Centurions and several Legionnaires were positioned around the battle-scarred hangar. Two other Legionnaires flailed near the wreckage of an unfortunate jumpship to their right, frantically trying to put out the fire from Korena's grenade that was quickly enveloping them.

Korena charged forward with a hail of rifle fire into the main group, but Thalia broke off, leaping atop the wrecked ship and bolting forward to close in on the two vulnerable Legionnaires. She raised one sidearm and fired off three quick solar-charged rounds as she got within range. Two of the shots landed, knocking the first Legionnaire off its feet, for the second, she unloaded both pistols into its body, the flurry of munitions piercing its armor and sent it sprawling to the ground.

The first Legionnaire, not out of the fight, growled deeply and rose to fire its slug rifle, only to find its target out of sight. The Huntress was high above in a deadly somersault, sights trained on her prey. She popped off two rounds and the Legionnaire’s helm cracked, inky black fluid spewing up from it's pressurized armor with a gurgling cry.

She landed into a crouch, facing the battle Korena waged before her. She watched the Titan launch into a solar charged roundhouse kick, knocking out one of the wounded Legionnaires. Another charged from her flank, a glowing blade protruding from its wrist. Thalia bolted towards her to intercept, firing a warning shot into the incoming trooper. Korena acted fast, her head already snapping to the Legionnaire before the shot landed. In one fluid motion she dropped her rifle and pulled her sword from her back, building force with a spin into a fiery uppercut. The strike tore through its armor and enveloped the Legionnaire in flame.

Unable to halt her momentum, Thalia kept on towards Korena, her gaze flitting to her next target. More Legionnaires advanced on the Titan, firing hot slugs from their rifles but Korena brought her sword up to block, a small barrier of solar energy radiating from the crystal at the blade's base. Thalia vaulted over the crouched Titan, firing into the incoming Cabal. Her right arm trained on one Legionnaire, and her left on the other. She didn't count the trigger pulls, just letting her reflexes take over, blasting over the Cabal until they keeled over.

Thalia heard Korena let out muffled grunts of pain as the rounds clashed against her barrier, the matching elemental rounds punching through her defense. Nonetheless, she rose and charged into the staggered Legionnaires.

Thalia slid to a stop and dashed right back into the fray. The remaining Legionnaires charged headlong into the Guardians while the two Centurions growled a throaty challenge and launched high into the air with their jetpacks, flaring their solar shields and charging their cannons. Surprise flashed through her, she had never come across Cabal with jetpacks that could sustain flight. The added distance would be a challenge for her, but she was confident in her abilities and went for them anyways.

She needed to divert the attention from Korena until she reached the Centurions. These Red Legion were more aggressive than the Cabal she'd gone up against before, and while Korena was more than capable of holding her own, taking the Legion's attention would give her teammate a clear path.

Three pulls of the trigger and the closest Legionnaire staggered. Thalia leapt up on to the heavy shoulders of the downed Cabal soldier, simultaneously pinning it down and firing into the next closest soldier.  She jumped from the wriggling Legionnaire over to the second soldier, the wish dragon bones grafted to her boots aiding her Light-assisted jumps; already training her sights to the third.

The Legionnaires let out deep warbles of confusion as the Huntress bounced between each of them. Their cries shifted from confusion to alarm as Korena dispatched each staggered soldier with ruthless slices of flame after Thalia's setup. Each Legionnaire was a stepping stone to the Centurions firing down void blasts from their cannons.

Violet explosions of void flashed in her peripheral vision as she neared the Centurions, only barely out of her pistols’ range but the Legionnaire she landed on had noticed her jump and repositioned itself to grab for her leg. Its large, armored hand gripped her calf and twisted under her. A yelp came from her as pain shot from her knee up her thigh and back. She gave into the soldier’s force to avoid a break and he sent her straight to the floor, her left sidearm flung from her grasp and clattering on the metal surface. She immediately tried to recover with a roll onto her feet, using her free hand to brace herself.

She snapped her right arm up to where the Legionnaire was, only to find its heavily armored body towering over her with a wrist blade of its own drawn and prepared to pounce. She gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger, prepared for the incoming strike. She would die, but so long as Korena was near, a resurrection was soon to follow and she accepted that. However, a deafening clang of metal striking metal rang through the hangar. The Legionnaire wouldn’t finish its strike, an explosion of pure solar energy knocking it off its feet.

Thalia dodged back, pulling the side of her cloak to cover her face from the shower of molten metal and sparks as she slid to a stop. When she let her cloak fall to her back again, Korena stood above the scorched Legionnaire, her armor enveloped in flame and her once smoldering hammer of Sol now blazing in her iron grip. Thalia heard the hard clunking of the remaining Cabal charging behind her and Korena charged straight forward, winding up her hammer.

Thalia clenched her jaw as she spun around into a crouch to confront the incoming Legion, her leg still tender and fired into the troops. They returned fire, two shots landing over her chest and shoulder. Her shields flared white, denying penetration, but the sting of impact still made her flinch.

Thalia's sidearm clicked dry but almost on cue, a rush of hot air washed over her as Korena vaulted over the downed Huntress. When she landed, she crossed her gauntlets, hammer still in hand and swiped them back, grinding the molten hammer across her bracers to send out a wave of hot shards and flame. The Legion reeled and pulled back, but without cover, their chances were negligible. She stepped into her throw, casting the hammer into the group. It detonated in a blast of hot slag and fire, taking out two Legionnaires and Korena brought her hand back to throw again, another hammer filling in her hand with a flash.

She stepped into her throws, letting loose her wrath into the scattering Cabal, each impact leaving pools of flame in its wake. The Centurions shifted their focus from Thalia to the raging Sunbreaker and the Huntress took the opportunity to scramble for her second sidearm. Two shots from the Centurions’ cannons dropped to the duo, but Thalia dove away and Korena braced herself. The blasts slammed into the Titan, enveloping her in Void only for her to push through unabated, her next hammers aimed at the aerial Centurions.

Thalia scrambled away, hands searching for her missing firearm, glancing up at the battle periodically. Korena's fiery mortars struck the first Centurion, its shields caving from the heavy Solar impact. A second explosion knocked it from the air; an overload from its shields sending the hulking soldier careening back to the floor. The second Centurion deactivated its thrusters when Korena tossed another hammer, thudding as it landed and continuing its assault.

Korena’s Light began to wane, flickering as she brought her hand back for another throw. She knew it would be her last hammer, so she played a hunch. She sidestepped left and lined up the throw with her left hand, tracking the Centurion’s strafe as it advanced, the two spiralling towards each other. She stepped forward but held her toss, and watched as the Centurion dodged left, falling for her feint. The last hammer struck the Centurion sending it tumbling as its shields backfired in an explosion of solar energy. Her Light collapsed, the flames subsiding as she rushed forward. She reached up to pull her sword again but the soldier lay unmoving as she approached. She stopped and relaxed her shoulders, looking over to Thalia not far behind.

Thalia rose from her crouch, second sidearm in hand once again as she looked around the battered environment. The hangar was clear of civilians, but she felt far from relieved. Muted gunfire and explosions could still be heard from other parts of the Tower and the hangar was left in ruin. Without it, their ability to repel the invasion would be severely hindered.

She holstered her weapons as her eyes wandered to the scenery outside. Massive warships advanced slowly towards the City save for one. A bright scarlet battleship with imposing weaponry  she could see clearly despite her distance. It flew perpendicular to the line of warships, its starboard side facing the Tower, firing large, circular munitions in the direction of the plaza.

Another figure caught her eye, Korena’s form approaching in her peripheral. When she turned to meet her, she squinted slightly, unsure whether her fireteam mate’s intentions were as cordial as she originally thought.

“ _What was that?_ ” Korena challenged, hand gesturing back to where they’d just fought as she stomped forwards.

“What was what? We got them all!” Thalia scoffed back.

“You know _exactly_ what I mean!” The Titan stopped inches from the Huntress, “Your fighting was irresponsible and sloppy! Overextending for the Centurions like that is exactly what gets you killed!”

Thalia folded her arms and set her stance, her hip jutting out to one side, “Okay, but I set you up twice! I totally had that!”

“No, you did not! Had you reached the Centurion, its shield discharge would have blown you to Luna!”

Thalia looked away, her face hot and anger burning in her throat. Indeed she had not accounted for the new shield behavior, but her reasoning was still sound in her eyes.

“How many kills did you get?” Korena probed, to which Thalia jumped in to respond.

“Two!”

“And were those two kills worth the risk of you dying again?” Brooding silence from Thalia again.

“It's always the same with you, all you do is attack without forethought-”

“-And what do you do then?” Thalia snarled.

“I spend all of my energy saving your ass!”

Korena’s voice echoed in the empty hangar, the first time Thalia heard her voice clearly outside of their comms. Her words caught in her throat, a combination of anger and exasperation keeping her from speaking as she glared up at the Titan. Flames began to flick on both of the Guardians’ armor — their solar Light reacting to their wild emotions.

Korena let out a deep exhale and composed herself, her words firm but controlled. “What if I wasn’t here, hmm? How would that have gone then?”

“You were here though! It’s seriously not that big a deal, you could have rezzed me!” Thalia put in, “It doesn’t matter how it would’ve gone because that’s not the situatio-”

“-But I won’t always be, Nathalia!” Korena’s hands shot out to grip the Huntress’s shoulders, each of her words heavily accented as she continued. “Do you hear me? _I_ will not always be here! _Thane_ will not always be here! One day it will be just _you_ and your _Ghost_ , and on that day _one_ mistake can be the difference between you coming home to me, and you becoming just another memory!”

The flames died, and the noises of the battles elsewhere seemed to fade to nothingness as Thalia stood frozen in Korena’s grip. Her hazel eyes wide with emotion as they flicked rapidly over Korena’s faceplate. Words failed her, a rough silence falling over her as she struggled to get out what she yearned to express. Korena's words hit her hard, regret, sorrow and remorse waging war within her.

When the Titan spoke again, her words were soft but with purpose. “Rarely are Guardians killed by weapons, Thalia. The most common killer of Guardians is arrogance.”

She paused, softening her grip and taking another breath. “You need to go now. Get Caesar to the Speaker; he will know how to bring him back.”

A deep whistling grew in her ears but she paid no mind, “What about you?”

“Can’t leave the hangar defenseless, but there will probably be other Guardians on their way here soon. I'll catch up.”

Thalia’s gaze dipped down, but the Titan’s hand lifted her chin to look back up. “Chin up.” Two soft knocks on the face of her helmet, “Think. Stay alive.”

The whistling grew louder and a blur in her peripheral vision pulled her attention from Korena. The two whirled around to see the source of the noise. Three spherical drop pods flew threw the hangar bay opening, crashing against the metal floor. The pods had angular bevels all around their surface which hissed deeply as they clicked open and fell to the floor.

Two Centurions emerged from their pods, growling throaty challenges. The third opened and a hulking Colossus marched forward, its armor polished and adorned with plumes atop its shoulders. It turned its menacing gaze towards the two Guardians and swung its large chaingun around to open fire.

Korena's Ghost formed over her shoulder, filling her hands with the auto rifle she dropped. Without turning to look back, she shouted, “GO!” and Thalia bolted. Turning her back on Korena made distress flash through her. She knew what she needed to do and why. She knew that Korena would likely be fine. nevertheless she would always worry for her safety.

Thalia reached the collapsed walkway in three swift leaps from crates and rubble. She couldn't help but look over at the crumbling wall beside the Plaza’s walkway to her right. The flash of the gas line’s explosion still fresh in her mind.

The patter of her boots against the concrete floor began to replace the echoes of battle as she sprinted through the tall passageway. Rubble and toppled shelves littered the floor and it seemed as if her very thoughts echoed from the deserted hall. Her heart raced and her pants were heavy and rough as she ran. Her mind was reeling with thoughts, worry for the Tower and the City, for the peace they held onto only hours ago. The stress of her home being shaken made her unsure of who was safe, or what state her world would be in.

A rumble shook the ground beneath her and a spark of irritation flickered in her but she kept on. A short set of stairs led up to the last stretch of the passage. She bounded up, two steps at a time when the roar of a series of explosions from the nearby plaza thundered through the hall. A chunk of the ceiling thudded just behind her and she stumbled over the last step. She yelped in a mix of anger and surprise as she fell to the floor, arms outstretched by reflex to catch herself. Her palms smacked against the ground and her eyes screwed shut. She struggled to control the heavy panting and tightness that seized her chest as the thundering booms outside rattled in her head. Her hot breath seemed to suffocate her inside her helmet and she yanked the hood of her cloak back and pulled off her helmet. Cool air rushed to meet her bare face and the smell of soot and ash burned in her nostrils. She deepened her breaths, fixating on the dominant emotion and the tumult of panicked fluttering in her gut simmered down, simplifying to a deep anger.

She opened her eyes and looked up at the hall exit, eyes narrowing into a smoldering glare. She had a place to put her anger — those who were the cause of her newfound suffering and it would be a deadly catalyst for her actions.

“Fine.” She hissed between her teeth. “Y'all want to play like that?”

She slid her helmet back on and pulled her weapons as she rose, small flickers of flame curling from her hands and cloak. “I'll bite.”

She bolted down the hallway, her breaths more controlled and her stride charged with purpose. She rounded the bend leading out to the plaza and nearly crashed into a Legionnaire on its way to the Hangar.

Without thinking, she snapped one arm up and fired two shots into its body. It staggered back and she pounced, leaping up onto its shoulders. She pressed down onto it hard, trying to knock it off its feet. The beast growled and fell back as she pressed her guns to its helmet and fired.

The two bodies fell, the Legionnaire limp and the Huntress rolled into a crouch, looking up at the battle-torn plaza. Rain poured down over the  area, beginning to fill the craters that marred the once pristine floor. Flames licked up from the Vault kiosks and abandoned vendor stations around the area.

Gunfire cracked loud to her right and she looked to see Commander Zavala finishing off a wave of Legionnaires with a couple other Guardians at his side. They stood as a barrier in front of the terrace area where the last of the civilian shuttles were evacuating. Cabal bodies littered the floor all around, but Thalia felt no sorrow for them.

A whistle grew in her ears again and she rolled back, pressing herself to the ground beside the recently killed Legionnaire’s body in an attempt to hide. She looked left over to where the sound grew louder and saw the spherical drop pods streaking towards the plaza's edge. She followed their arc back to their origin and saw they  were being launched from the main command ship hovering miles away. Several more launched down into the city and at different floors of the Tower, likely where they'd made additional breaches.

She wouldn't get more than a glance as the group of heavy pods crashed onto the plaza grounds. She shot up onto her feet as the pods hissed open and took her left sidearm in hand. Five Legionnaires emerged from their pods wielding heavy shock cannons and she rushed forwards, her pistol barking rounds into the nearest enemy.

The first Legionnaire fell, but the second already begun firing on the Huntress. She dodged right, a quick dance away from the flurry of arc bolts. Her next shots were meticulously placed. One at its hand, causing it to reel in pain and drop its weapon; the other at its leg making it collapse to its knees. The other Cabal troops were distracted by the fire from Zavala and his Guardians.

With her prey defenseless, she reached her free hand to the skies and released the burning Light that had been brooding within her. She called forth the Golden Gun and the flaming revolver filled her grasp, loaded with three shots of Sunfire. She leveled her sights and let loose, each crack cutting through the air and decimating her targets.

The first blasted the crippled Legionnaire squarely in its chest, the volatile light taking over its body in a bright burst of fire. Thalia rushed forward, leaping over the charred body and lined up her second, aiming at one of the Legionnaires advancing on the terrace. The shot burned through the soldier and scorched another who happened to drift too close to its comrade. She landed into a roll, letting the Light guide her hand to her final target. She pulled the trigger before looking and the squeal of a Legionnaire telegraphed her shot landing true.

Her Light collapsed, steam hissing up from her shoulders as the rain met her scalding armor. She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her, tension and anger seeming to wane as she came down from her outburst. Several more Legionnaires still marched through the plaza, firing on the other Guardians farther up. She could make out a subtle glow around Zavala as he thrust his hands outwards, a spherical shield of violet Light covering the Guardians as they prepared for the incoming forces. It took all of her focus not to give in to the urge to dive in and help, but Korena’s words kept her mind focused on her task.

She rushed forward to the opposite end of the plaza, gunning for the corridor leading to the Tower North. Her boots echoed through the ruined hall, similar to outside the hangar, yet this side seemed undisturbed in comparison to the crumbling ruins of the South Tower. No blast marks covered the walls, nor did the stone structures suffer any damage. Only storage racks and crates were toppled over making a mess of the once tidy corridor. Either the Red Legion didn't deem this area of the Tower necessary for attack, or they simply hadn't gotten to it yet.

The local maintenance frame still stood in his usual area, casually sweeping up the mess seemingly unfazed by the chaos nearby. Thalia bounded down the stairs in one leap and the droid looked up at her as she passed, his voice even as ever.

“Good evening, Guardian. What is your hurry-”

“Can't really talk right now-”, Thalia rushed as she bolted past the frame. “-keep up the good work!”

The frame kept speaking as she rounded the bend into the open area but she paid no mind, eyes trained on the walkway leading up to the Speaker’s observatory. The small plaza built around the observatory was vacant. Eva and Executor Hideo were both long gone from their posts and the surrounding vendor stations and kiosks were untouched by the invasion. The sound of the rising wind and rain almost drowned out the echoes of battle and unease began to settle into the Huntress’ mind. She wasn't used to the area being so empty and quiet, and the surreal sight made her want to leave with haste.

She shook off her fear, wiped the water accumulating on her visor and passed through the observatory archway. The massive gyroscopic Vitalis at the center of the small observatory lay still, all its rings lined up and the holographic sphere at its the center aligned with the distant Traveler.

She didn't need to look hard for the Speaker. The white robed man stood at the railing gazing up at the scene that played out in the skies before him. The glowing core of a peculiar ship shone through the hologram, tainting its normal green into a deep orange. Six menacing arms radiated out from the core, widening as the massive contraption advanced with the fleet towards the Traveler.

Although his back was turned, the Speaker seemed to already be aware of the Huntress’ presence. He spoke without moving as she approached, his voice smooth as ever, but with a dark tone.

“They are here for the Traveler, young one.”

Thalia stopped only a few feet away, able to hear his soft voice clearly.

“Can't you see it? They have little control over the City, yet they keep pressing towards it.”

“Sir?” She asked, trying to keep him from continuing and the masked man slowly turned to face her.

“I really need to get back out there, but…” She unclasped her large belt pouch and fished her Ghost from inside. “My Ghost isn't doing so well.”

His gaze lowered to her battered companion cradled in her fingers. “Hmm.” He hummed, and he raised his hands over the Ghost.

Thalia fought the urge to pull back, a protective flinch that she could barely restrain. Even though the Speaker had her trust, he wasn't safe from her instinctive response.

He looked back up at her. “It’s alright,” he consoled before looking back down at her Ghost, “but we must act fast. Come.”

He turned towards the steps leading up to his library and table and Thalia followed close behind, still holding Caesar in her grasp. He passed the stairs and stepped into a doorway just beneath them. While Thalia could hardly be considered a regular in the Speaker’s observatory, she was definitely familiar with the area, yet never noticed the entrance just beneath the steps.

The door slid open as they approached, revealing the small room. The interior was cramped, and the lighting dim. Tables lined the wall at hip height covered in books and scripts and another closed door sat at the opposite wall. Yet the first thing her eyes were drawn to was the large mechanical pedestal standing against the left wall. Thin banners with sigils she'd never seen before were draped over the wall just above the machine. Circular engravings adorned the metal surface, encapsulating the socket that sat at its heart.

The door slid back down with a soft hiss and the Speaker turned to face her and held out his hand, “Your Ghost, if I may.”

Thalia pushed her hands forward and the Speaker took up her Ghost with care. He stepped over to the pedestal and set the Ghost down, his shell fitting in perfectly to the indented socket.

The Speaker set his hands on the pedestal and exhaled deeply. His fingers grazed along the circular engraving as if turning a dial, a bright white glow following behind as his hands traveled. Each hand completed their rotation and eight radial lines took on a glow of their own as the pedestal let out a deep hum. The Speaker raised his hands and the Light grew in intensity for a moment before collapsing in on the shell through the lines. Her Ghost was encased in Light, his shell glowing bright enough to illuminate the room, and his optic burning bright blue.

Thalia knitted her hands together as she watched through squinted eyes, a nervousness in her gut once more. She knew what she was watching was good, yet still she was unsure. She didn't understand what her eyes were telling her, and she could only imagine the high energy being painful for her companion.

The seconds seemed to stretch for an eternity and just when she began to avert her eyes, the Light began to dim. Caesar's shell became visible once again, now clear of marks and soot. His optic grew dark as the Light faded causing a flicker of worry but it no longer bore the crack from before, so her concern was quickly abated.

The Speaker traced his hands back along the glowing ring, silencing the pedestal. “He has been healed, but we must not linger.” He picked up the Ghost and handed it to Thalia. “These Cabal know a great deal more about us than the others. They target Ghosts and now the Traveler.”

Thalia took hold of Caesar, and felt the Light in contained in her palms. Relief overtook her for several moments until the Speaker passed in front of her.

“I simply pray that these are coincidences.” he finished, his tone much lower than before.

He would be their next target, she realized as her mind regained its focus. Hazel eyes gazed at the cuts and folds of the Speaker’s mask, wondering the secrets that hid behind it. The knowledge of the nature of the Light and the Traveler.

She tucked Caesar away and went to follow the robed man out of the room. “Zavala and some others are holding out in the plaza. That's where the evac ships are. I'll get you there.”

He rounded up the steps, presumably to grab any last books and instruments. “I appreciate your efforts, Guardian.”

Thalia nodded up at him, paced over to the main entrance and reached for her sidearms, peeking around to check for threats. Outside seemed clear, but she nearly jumped an inch from the ground when the deep bellow of a war horn roared through the observatory, shattering the veil of calm that hung around the area. Her head snapped to the opening overlooking the City to see dozens of misses arcing up from the scarlet command ship.

“Incoming!” She shouted, frantically looking around for anything she could quickly duck behind.

A form of static and Light appeared at her shoulder, his voice slurred and weary.

“What's all of this racket about?”

“Get back!” Thalia hissed to her Ghost,

“Come again?”

“ _Get back inside!_ ”

She hurriedly swatted him down and he finally got the message, vanishing into her armor. By the time their interaction finished, the first missile crashed against the outer observatory wall sending chunks of concrete flying.

Thalia backpedalled, shielding herself with her with her hands as the missiles pelted the small observatory. The walls began to cave under the explosive onslaught, missiles flying into the space, tearing the Vitalis from its hinges.

She tried to get up the stairs and reach the Speaker, but a missile struck the steps, sending her lifeless body clattering to the floor.

A gasp of air from nothingness and Thalia bolted upright. It had been mere seconds this time, but she felt no less disoriented than any other death. Her Ghost hovering over her was the first thing she saw, followed by a Red Legion dropship settling in over the ravaged observatory above her; even more missiles streaking behind it to pound into the plaza.

She picked herself up, reaching for her weapons when the sounds of deep thuds yanked her head up. Soldiers dropped to the ground from the ship. Gladiators clad with thickly plated shoulders, streaks of red painted on their arms and masks. A heavy cleaver in each of their hands, their blades’ sharpened edges glowing hot orange. The last Gladiator dropped, its armor dark black and the emblem of the Legion painted over its mask. It growled commands in their native tongue, pointing its burning blade towards the Speaker’s overlook.

_“Yatou shuba! Grat’kau Speaker taluus!”_

Its menacing gaze turned slowly towards Thalia, staring intently through her visor and into her eyes.

“ _Gutaag oré.”_

She watched as the commander turned its back on her, a glare forming on her face behind her helmet. It spoke to her, commanding her. Although she didn't understand the language, some things didn't need a translator.

Thalia stood tall and gripped a grenade from her belt in her left hand, disgust dripping from her words. “ _Don't_ do that.” She stalked towards the Gladiators, rolling her jaw and pulling her gun with her right hand. “And put our Speaker down.”

With that she dashed forward, bounding over the piles of rubble and metal. She entered the engagement low, sliding under one of the warped rings embedded in the ground and opening fire. The shots landed across the commander’s shoulder and it looked back, a swing of its blade in turn.

Thalia's small stature and low entrance saved her, the blade swooping just above her head as she slid. She launched herself upwards, using a burst of Light in a second jump up to where the soldiers wrestled the Speaker into their possession.

She threw down the grenade, its munitions shattering into a swarm and homing into the three Cabal. She sprayed fire over one of the Gladiators and it keeled over, succumbing to the hail of rounds and explosions. The others let go of the Speaker and flailed angrily at the micro explosives. Her pistol cracked loud as she landed, aiming to take down the second soldier. She wouldn't get that luxury as an angry call sounded behind her. The Commander, propelled by its back thrusters, cleared the railing and brought both blades down in a paring slice.

Thalia danced right, a small dagger thrown from a deft hand, cutting into its soft waist as she retreated. The Commander roared in pain, but one of the others turned from the Speaker to join the fight. It barrelled around their Commander and reached out for a slice. The blade kissed her shoulder as she dodged back, her shields sparing her from the pain as she flipped over the railing.

Her sidearms scraped the ground as she landed low, watching as the two soldiers gave chase. The odds were hardly in her favor from the start, but these soldiers were relentless. Her heart raced and her limbs felt light, her body at its peak to meet the challenge before her.

The booms of two cannon shots rang in her ears and she dashed to the side without thinking. Fiery munitions detonated where she once stood, thin wisps of smoke trailing up to the barrel of the dropship's main turret. She cursed under her breath but kept on the move as the Commander lunged for her once more. Its first swing came short and Thalia popped two shots into its chest before it could launch a second. When its other swing did come, it was a high chop to which she dropped low, leading with her leg and slipping under its strike.

Pushing off her lead leg as she slid, she jumped up and launched into a somersault from the back of the Commander. Her move sent her above the second Gladiator who had lunged for the Huntress at the open opportunity. She landed behind the soldier, their backs to one another and she dropped her left sidearm, trading it for her knife. She stepped back with her body ducked low as the soldier spin into a swing. Its hot blade sailed over her head, but her blade landed true, sinking into its waist as she slunk under its strike. Dark blood spilled over her hand as she finished her slice. Her gun pointed up to the Gladiator’s helmet as she rose to full height, one pull of the trigger burying the bullet into her towering target.

The body fell limp but the curt whiz of metal through air sounded behind her. There was no time to react and searing pain lashed across her back as the Commander slashed hard. A burst of white Light from her shields and Thalia let out an agonizing cry as she was thrown to the ground from the force of the blow. She tried to brace herself against the ground but she felt paralyzed by the immense pain taking hold of her.

Suddenly, what seemed to be the weight of the world was on top of her, amplifying her pain and striking fear into her heart. Her hands gripped desperately at the dirt and stone beneath her as she struggled to breathe. The deep growl of the Commander shook through her, a markedly triumphant edge in its tone.

_“Si ragda mon kulo.”_

Thalia worked her gaze over towards the far wall where the Speaker struggled in the third Gladiator's hold. She clawed at the ground towards him, but the soldier rocketed upwards, its thrusters carrying it and the Speaker up to the dropship. Tears welled up in her eyes and a strangled curse slipped from her lips.

_“Maak teo bu kerda gudig!”_

The weight lifted from her and thrusters roared in her ears. She felt no need to look up at the departing Cabal, her world consisted of agony and defeat.

As the sound of the dropship faded, the thunderous boom of the warhorn sounded once again. Her heart dropped and she tried to pick  herself up, but to no avail. Her shields automatically cycled back up, a faint glow enveloping her battered frame. They wouldn't be enough as missiles rained over the observatory, fracturing the beaten floor and structures until it could hold no longer. Stone crumbled and steel groaned, falling down to the city outskirts below and dragging the red Huntress into the dark.


	2. Tempest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The City has taken many blows, but high in the skies the fight is far from over.

The high scream of a ship’s engines cut through the constant rumble of cannon fire and explosions in the blazing skies. A sleek Phaeton class ship pierced through the thick clouds above the City as it dove into the fray. Armed relatively light with a long cannon atop each wing and two sharp missile pods along its underbelly. Contrails laced the amber skies and bursts of flame marked the end of another allied ship. Comms chatter buzzed in and out, frantic calls and commands blending into the frenzy of battle.

_< < Echo three, you’re breaking off! Get back in formation! >> _

_< < Don’t let those carriers get in deployment range! >>_

The pilot’s silvered eyes glared down at a scarlet warship through the rolling streaks of rain on the display, his hands toying the flight stick making slight adjustments to his dive. His features were angular but strong. His dark, heavy brows furrowed and chiseled jaw locked shut in a mix of concentration and spite. The majority of his jet black hair lay back, save for a single thin loc that intruded on his vision. Normally, it would be a bother but his focus was trained on the heaving giant before him and he paid no mind. The massive warship was smoking from several of its engines and upper hull, having taken a beating from the relentless Silber team. The target highlighted on his HUD, distance counter ticking down wildly as he lined up his shot at the bridge. Another craft whizzed over the warship leaving a trail of explosions which tore an opening in its newly restored shields. A female's curt call crackled through the comms.

_< < Splash two, shields down! >> _

“Firing!” He pulled the trigger on the joystick and two lightning fast rounds flashed from the magnetic launchers mounted atop both wings. Sparks and fragments of the bridge spewed up and the ship began to list heavily. He pulled back on the throttle with a grit in his teeth, leveling out his descent as he rocketed just above the falling warship.

“Target down!”

_< < Good shot, Kalek! >> _

A much deeper voice came through, caution in his tone. _< < Radar still hasn’t cleared up, whatever’s jamming the area is still around. >> _

_< < Anyone have eyes-on? >>_

Kalek banked right, peeling off from the action to take in the full view of the battle. The warships trailed thick smoke to shroud the city as they advanced, creating a sort of barrier just beyond the walls. He pitched up once he neared the smoldering Tower, he could see faint flashes of Light and gunfire atop the plaza. Zavala and whoever was stubborn enough to hold down the area were still busy fighting. He’d long since suggested a full evac of the Tower in favor of holding out within the City, but he lacked the status to have his tactics heeded.

He spotted a green marker circling high, fading in and out of the clouds. His third wingman, Hoya, had been their eyes for the larger portion of the fight. He leveled out at 6,000 feet, and his second, Mi Kyong soared into view just below him. Each of their ships was a stormy silver hue, with a single white stripe from the nose down the middle of the body.

He circled round bringing the battle back into view. His view was perfect, the solid metal canopy bore no glass, an array of sensors instead projected a uniform image of the world around him for unprecedented clarity and protection. Columns of smoke rolled up from the outskirts of the city and a mess of blue and red IFF markers crisscrossed through the sky just above the buildings. Nine more of the frigate-class warships still trailed thick smoke as they advanced on the City. The menacing line of red giants constantly pushed forward, armed to the teeth, protecting the colossal command ship in the middle. They'd managed to take two down, and other squadrons worked on as many as they could, but they would likely deplete their armaments before they took them all down. To make matters worse, the organized assault of the Legion was simply tearing through the Guardians’ disorganized defense. Communications were limited to shortwave proximity comms thanks to the array of jamming ships blending in with the chaos, and without the Hangar, they wouldn't be getting any reinforcements.

He looked over the battle below them, target and allied icons weakly flickering in and out. His gaze wandered from the aerial battle to the burning city. He couldn't help but feel a deep worry for those enduring hell down below.

Then there was the device. The six-armed contraption that had anchored itself to the Traveler's side like a mechanical parasite. The sight made his blood boil, the sacred protector of the City and lifeblood of Guardians being defiled with every moment it stayed in contact.

_< < I've got something! >>_

Hoya's call snapped Kalek from his thoughts and his eyes flicked up to the small ship.

“Go ahead.”

_< < I've been bouncing radio tones over the Legion’s line and in between the center four warships my signals faded much sooner than the others. If there's any place for the jamming craft to be, it's there. >> _

Kalek's gaze shifted back to the line, searching between the warships but coming up short. “I can't get a visual from here, they must be small models. We're going to have to get in close to attack.”

Mi's voice responded next.

<< But we won't be able to lock on to the jammers if we get in that close though. The signals will be strongest and they'll likely have defense groups nearby as well. >>

“I still have enough ammunition in my EMLs for another couple runs.”

He took his hand off the throttle and tapped on the armaments display to his left, checking his supply as he spoke. “I can take out the jamming craft from a distance, then you two can hit the remaining support ships unhindered.”

A silence fell over their comms as they considered the plan. Their hands were tied in their current position, so they needed to act fast. It was Mi that spoke first.

_< < That should work. >> _

“Alright then. Hoya, can you pinpoint which ship is sending the signal?”

His response held a hint of disdain. _< < It'll be a rough estimate at best. Everything will be scrambled once we get closer. That part will be on you. >> _

Kalek rolled right, angling the ship’s nose into a dive back down towards the warships, his demeanor darkening.

“So be it.”

Green arrows on his radar collapsed into formation around him as the team lined up their run. His hands steadily eased the controls, gradual push on the throttle, smooth tilts on the flight stick. The line of warships grew closer, stretching like a cobbled column of red reaching for the horizon. His eyes flicked back and forth from the target area to the ticking altimeter until a ‘low signal’ appeared at the bottom of his HUD.

“Anything?” he called.

_< < Not yet. >> _

His wingmen were already starting to fall behind, keeping their distance until they could get a lock. He pulled back on the throttle, trying to buy Hoya time to call a target. A cluster of four ships seemed to appear out the backdrop of buildings between the closest warship and its neighbor. Barely more than moving dots from their distance, but his keen eyes served him well. Two ships in the cluster flying in single file caught his eye but a warning alarm interrupted is thoughts.

“We've been spotted!”

_< < Hind! Hind! >>_

Hoya's call confirmed his suspicions and sparked him into action. He opened the throttle wide, armed his guns and set his sights on the rear ship. The jamming signal reached maximum intensity much sooner than he thought, and all remaining information aside from his systems display vanished from screen soon after. He wouldn't get any targeting assistance, so he relied on closing the distance to increase accuracy and minimize projectile travel time.

He kept the small circular reticule steady over the form of the ship. The muted scream of his ship's engines rose in his ears as he closed in, he heard Mi Kyong's voice but his attention was fixated on his task, her call just a muffled buzz. His HUD turned red, warning him of an incoming missile and he pulled the trigger.

White-hot streaks sliced through the small craft and it jerked to one side in a shower of sparks and flame. Several missiles arced up at him from the surrounding ships and he twisted through his evade. The incoming fire whizzed past his ship as he dove past the falling jamming craft. He pitched back up hard to swoop under the large warship, the air tearing on his wings as his sharp maneuver left contrails streaming behind.

His ship rose along the other side of the warship and the voices of nearby squadrons faded back in over the comms. He climbed for a moment, regaining lost altitude and taking the time to look back for the rest of his team. Clear of jamming, his display showed all its information again and he watched as the markers of his two wingmen weaved through the incoming fire, a shower of micro missiles arced from both fighters, igniting the newly revealed warships in a river of fire and shrapnel.

Seeing his team fully engaged, he pitched back and cut the engines, dropping back into a dive before opening the throttle wide into the next cluster of small ships. When he looked over to the rear-most ship, he noticed a bulge near the small craft’s rear. A larger module that seemed added onto the standard ship model. He figured that was the jamming module noted the detail for further ships.

As he neared the second ship cluster the interference began to erase his display once again, but it was weaker than before and when he spotted the jamming craft and reached striking range, the targeting outline was still faintly visible. It wasn’t enough for a missile lock, so he armed his EML again, lined up the shot and let loose. The rounds pierced vital components resulting in an explosion which tore the ship apart. Kalek pulled up over the scattering enemy formation and rolled low over the top of the neighboring warship to avoid being targeted by the massive battleship.

_< < Hydras locked, Fox three! >> _

He heard Mi call and the ensuing eruption of missile detonation from just behind him fueled the fire of adrenaline rushing in his veins.

Their formation tore through the line of warships and jammers, Kalek carving through the sea of radar noise while the rest of his wing rained hellfire as they weaved behind in a helix path. They’d executed this formation — coined by them as ‘mobius’ — countless times on large battleships and support groups. The number of ships was much higher than normal, and the jammers initially posed a crippling disadvantage but adaptation was one of the team’s greatest strengths.

White-hot rounds erupted upwards through the final jamming craft and Kalek’s craft rocketed up from beneath it, but he acquired a fresh set of missiles on his tail launched from the nearby warship. He banked hard to loop back towards the warships, and the hungering ordonance followed suit. Cannon fire quickly filled the air as he approached the two warships. The two red giants had drifted close to each other — presumably to concentrate fire — but he gunned for the small space between them. The beeping missile alert grew more frantic as the missiles drew closer to his tail. He flicked his thumb over to another button on his flight stick and rolled through the incoming anti-air. His display flickered as four rounds knocked against the side of his ship during his approach and the wing of his damage display flashed from green to yellow. He rolled hard, the world turned upside down and he pushed the button, a flurry of flares firing in all directions just above the warships as he slipped through the gap. The missiles changed course abruptly to follow his decoys, detonating atop the warships and gouging sizeable holes into its exterior.

He leveled out just above the the city buildings and flew out towards the walls, giving him a much needed breather. He tapped on the systems panel to his right, checking for damage. No hull breaches, but his right EML was disabled, prompting a quick grimace.

_< < Kalek, you are one crazy son of a bitch. >> _

Mi Kyong’s remark worked an airy chuckle out of him as he exhaled. “You say that like I’m the only one.”

“You _are_ the only one.” Kalek’s Ghost chimed in sardonically as he appeared over his shoulder. His shell the spiked green, white and gold of the Iron Wolf.

_< < Adonis is right, you can't deny the combat reports. >> _

Kalek raised his altitude and began to circle back around to see the battlefield once again. “Okay, but the reports _also_ show a 97% efficiency margin.”

_< < Achieved with pure madness. >> _

“Calculated risks, not madness.”

Adonis inserted himself into the conversation again, “I don't meant to interrupt, but I'm picking up a distress call from the City that you may want to hear.” Kalek looked over at his comms panel to his right and opened the air-to ground channels. The message came through mid-sentence, but what he heard was more than enough.

_ << \- to any available craft, we are escorting civilian convoys but the Red Legion are setting up blockades on the highway! I repeat, this is Arana Vey requesting close air support for evac convoys in sector 17B! >> _

He felt a tug in his stomach the moment he heard the familiar voice. The voice of someone close to him, the voice of a fireteam-mate and loved one.

He switched the comms back and dipped back to a lower altitude. “Silber team, disperse and help out whatever ground forces you can. It seems their situation has worsened.”

_< < Solid copy. >>_

Hoya ended up speaking for Mi Kyong as well. Kalek knew she heard and would comply, she simply wasn't one for formalities. Frankly, neither was Kalek and the team often didn't require verbal exchanges at all. Hoya, however, was practically born for the role, finding a sort of enjoyment from spouting military jargon.

The buildings of the outer city where he began his approach rarely reached higher than three stories, so he kept low, just grazing 300 feet as he sped towards the inner city. He would slip beneath the intense dogfighting that had erupted nearby thanks to the jamming craft being taken out. The warships in the distance had began to scatter, save for the command ship which loomed menacingly before the device attached to the Traveler. It constantly launched troops and dropships down into the city, and was likely orchestrating the blockades.

Kalek lowered his chin, his expression darkening as his thoughts reeled in his mind. They'd been able to deal a heavy blow to the invading forces but in order to turn the battle around, the Command ship would need to be taken out and the strange device destroyed. The heights of the buildings began to increase, tall highways and business buildings became more common. Civilian transports filled these streets, He kept his eyes scanning over the thickening cityscape as he neared the battle-ridden downtown sector. Convoys of escaping civilians crammed the outbound highways, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for the people who lost it all. He couldn't imagine what it felt like to be caught in the crossfire. To watch their city burning around them as they fled their only safe refuge. Cabal were not know for their mercy and often killed their own within the hierarchical structure; these civilians would not be spared from the hell the Red Legion would bring forth.

As he passed beneath the scattered warships, he was forced to alter his path every now and then by the occasional skyscraper that would become increasingly common for the City interior.

“I need tags-”, Kalek began but before he could finish, the blue and red IFF markers flickered on screen.

“Way ahead of you.” His Ghost hummed, a thin flight line simultaneously snaked through the towering buildings.

Adonis knew Kalek didn't need the extra guidance and that he definitely wouldn't follow it, yet he did it anyways. It's how things always were with them, and Adonis simply never tried to stop himself.

_< < Get that Guardian on the command ship! Now! >> _

Zavala’s stern voice warranted a quick glance up at the square highlighted in blue on his display. Inside the thin outline, a sleek transport ship streaked towards the command ship. The tag beneath read “A. Holliday” and he sent them a silent wish of fortune as she and the Guardian flew threw the chaos.

Kalek returned his gaze to the approaching cityscape and began to raise his altitude. The buildings in the area had grown tall, so approaching from the side would be nigh impossible. The target outlines lost their solid borders in place of dashed lines as the buildings broke his line of sight. He would need to either fly between the buildings or dive from high up to ensure his missiles would hit their targets.

His left hand let go of the throttle while his right pulled the flight stick, circling upwards above the sprawling highways. With his free hand, he reached to the top left of his display and pulled down the holographic comms interface. His voice was even and calm as he spoke, fingers flicking through the comms channels.

“This is Silber one to evac convoy tango, I read your SOS .” He spotted the flashes of Light and gunfire near the front of the line of transports. “Coming in for close air support, thirty seconds out, get clear of the blockade.” He leveled off his climb, lining himself up for his run as he waited for a response from the ground.

_< < Copy. Pulling back. >>_

The response was short, but he could still sense the tension in her tone. Arana's voice was always graceful and light; when her words grew short, things were not going well. Gathering this made a new urgency fill in Kalek's chest as he plunged the throttle forward in his dive.

The red hexagonal icons of the Legion’s ground forces formed a line atop one of the suspended highways leading out of the city. The convoy line — highlighted in blue hexagons — sat halted by the blockade at the highway’s on ramp. He could make out the convoy pulling back from the highway in preparation for his run, and the sight pulled him into focus. His eyes settled back on the targets, hands manipulating the ship's controls subconsciously as he closed in on the blockade. Two Cabal Thresher ships and a hover tank accompanied by dozens of Phalanxes and Centurions planted perpendicular to the escaping convoy. Even as imposing as they were, in the end they were lined up perfectly and nothing would protect them from Kalek's aerial onslaught.

He armed his missiles with a flick of his thumb and the sound of a strong radar lock rang loud, his targets painted with their tags blinking red. He didn't hesitate, sending a volley of four missiles screaming into the blockade. Two missiles blew apart the tank, while the other two took out the ships.

He didn't have much time to confirm kills as he zipped over the rooftops. Pulling back on the throttle, he whipped the ship around with a grunt and activated the auxiliary thrusters to hover just above the convoy, jets firing below the wings and body for additional mobility. The highway still held after the blasts, and the Cabal troops could still be seen scattering behind cover and their shields. Though his job was not finished, the highway's support struts had to be taken into account. If they took too much damage, no other convoys from deeper in the city could use the highway. However, if he left the infantry standing on the bridge, the convoy could take damage and even suffer losses.

He had to think quickly, stabilizing the hover as he spoke. “Adonis, do a scan and put the highway integrity on screen.”

After a moment, the information came up as a series of status bars and Kalek switched to his pulse cannons. He pulled the trigger and blue bolts rained down over the remaining Cabal. He strafed back and forth, adjusting his attack angles as he cleared out the remaining troops. His actions would not go unnoticed, however, as a flight of Cabal ships launched from a nearby warship to interrupt the counterattack.

Several Centurions still kept themselves tucked away behind the wreckage of the Threshers and tank. Kalek tried to gain some height and flush them out, but the bridge integrity would definitely take hits. He glanced up at the damage display to find the bridge strength in the yellow at 68%.

Missile alerts started up and a grimace flashed across his face. He immediately pulled back and one of the missiles zipped under the nose of his ship, detonating on the side of the building to his left. His eyes darted right, following the missile’s trail to the incoming flight. Three ships burned towards him, firing off more munitions until they could get within gun range.

His thumb flicked the flare button by reflex, but a beep of denial signalled his supply had run dry. Sparks of concern began to buzz in his body but he pushed them away, instead focusing on evading the incoming missiles. He pitched the nose up and hammered on the throttle, rocketing to a higher altitude. The munitions missed, zipping behind and attempted to arc around but were soon lost, unable to keep track of the speeding ship.

Kalek's eyes flitted down to the scanner, taking note of the three dots that represented his pursuers at his six o’ clock. The Cabal ships had heavy armaments, warheads that would make short work of his light hull if they made contact. But with its light frame his ship was fast, modified for enhanced atmospheric flight. The enemy ships were bulky, made for transportation and stationary support, easy to outmaneuver. Speed was his strength, and with that in mind he developed his plan of attack.

He glanced around at his environment, taking in his options. The clouds above were dark and thick, likely with heavy turbulence from the storm. A risky option as his agility may be affected, prompting him to look back towards the City. Not far from his position a series of incomplete skyscrapers dotting a wide area reached up from a massive construction site. Bridges stopped abruptly around the area, likely to be finished once the surrounding architecture was finalized. Another missile alert and his decision was made, rolling left towards the construction site.

“What sector is that ahead?” He asked hurriedly, and his Ghost responded unseen.

“Uhh, looks like sector 15C.”

“Population?”

The Ghost appeared at his shoulder, “It's a construction site.”

Adonis’ response came back with a snarky edge, prompting a roll of Kalek's eyes. “So it's clear?”

“... yes, don't tell me you're going to-”

Once his Ghost had confirmed his hunch, Kalek made a break for the approaching cover. The Cabal ships gave chase, two switching to their auto cannons while one kept pressure with missile fire. He cut back and forth, weaving around the relentless fire. Three knocks at his back and his damage display flashed again, thrusters only damaged lightly despite the impact. However he was hardly relieved, brow still tight in concentration as he speed towards the buildings. If he could draw them towards the buildings, break line of sight and regain an angle, he could make short work of his pursuers.

The first of the high-reaching frames drew near and he made a quick right bank before darting back left into the incomplete sector, shaking their missile lock. No roads had been laid out yet, only vague paths of dirt between the incomplete towers. He'd lost track of one of his pursuers, but that only made for one less target he needed to worry about. The first of the remaining two still managed to stay with him through his escape route but the other had begun to fall behind. Now it was his turn to strike.

Heavy slugs whizzed over the cockpit as he cut low into another sharp left turn. Kalek kept the scanner in his peripheral as he threaded between the buildings, keeping track of the path of the enemy markers attempting to keep up. The closest target had dropped behind quite a ways, likely only catching glimpses as he weaved, the second was swinging wide, likely trying to get a new angle. The buildings began to open up and a crane arm protruded in his path forcing him to dip low. Steel girders and massive construction machines began to obstruct his path as he neared the outskirts if the site.

“Adonis, lock target bravo and get me a feed.”

The signature above him on the scanner then glowed bright red and a small camera window of the Thresher closing in appeared at the top right corner of his display. His eyes narrowed and a prick of concern came into his mind.

“Switch to target charlie.”

The window flickered over to the third Thresher charging straight towards him. He couldn't find it on radar and that fact was deeply troubling. He was originally simply trying to shake the nearest target and take them out one at a time but had underestimated the Red Legion's coordination. He was being corralled despite his efforts, which meant he needed to regain control of the situation and fast. The fragile environment was something he was initially an wary of, but as he looked back at his target window, it gave him an idea. He spotted a couple of tall buildings that he could use and he armed his missiles. He let the four from his racks fly without a lock into the building’s base and quickly switched back to his pulse cannons, cutting the second building’s supports with bolts of blue.

Stone and fire erupted from the first building as it groaned and collapsed behind him. The other followed suit, kicking up mud and dirt as Kalek zipped beneath the cascading ruin. With the Cabal ship’s low mobility, it couldn't maneuver in time and took the full force of the falling metal and stone. The target vanished from his scanner and his gaze immediately snapped to the second target closing in above him. He needed not to think about his actions, he kept his eyes locked to the target outline as he looped up to meet his challenge.

Rumbles of thunder and wind shook through the cockpit as the storm worsened, but Kalek paid no mind. Only drifting his thumb over the switch and arming the last of his missiles. His munitions were Artemis IV interception missiles, long range and fast. They gained a lock the moment he switched to them and he let loose a roaring lance, still far out of the Thresher's range. He didn't have the luxury to watch his kill as his ship's missile alert rang loud in his ears. He rolled right, the flash from his previous prey’s explosion lighting up the dark clouds that began to gather around. The incoming missile zipped across his view from his right and when he followed its path with his gaze the target was just behind him attempting to circle behind.

The storm had begun to worsen, turbulent winds and rain battered his ship as he maneuvered, trying to get on his target's six o’ clock but he found the task more difficult than he initially thought. He found that the Cabal ships’ low speed and turn radius was a tricky obstacle, making him often over-correct and only catching the ship for brief moments.

_< < Hey boys, I've got a whole damn squadron on my ass! Gonna need a hand in a second here! >> _

Kalek’s gaze was over his shoulder when Mi Kyong buzzed in, eyes locked on his target. He waited a moment before lowering his throttle and pulling up into a loop. “Hoya, can you move in to assist?”

Hoya's voice buzzed in, warning alerts blaring through his comms.

_< < Negative, I've got four on me. Taken a hit to my rear and I'm running low on ammo. >>_

Hard lock rang loud and he fired away. The missile strike boomed through his cockpit and he rolled right to put the City back in view, searching for tags on screen. His wingmen were spread apart, Mi Kyong dancing with a swarm of red tags high in a clearer portion of the skies, countless missile streaks arcing up from her ship in all directions. Meanwhile, Hoya flew low much farther out, running down a target while trying to dodge the remaining enemies behind him.

“Disengage, I'm on my way-” Adonis chimed in before he could finish, his voice grim.

“-Kalek, we've got more incoming, bearing west 290.”

“How many?” His question was met only with silence. “Adonis?”

“Eight and counting.”

He'd leveled his flight after the kill but his stomach dropped anyways. Vague red blips had appeared on the edges of his scanner and he couldn't stop the curse that slipped from his lips.

_“Shit.”_ Thunder rumbled through the clouds as he turned to face his challenge. The Legion had taken notice of the squadron's feats and they would be sending their best. It would take everything they had to make it out alive.

The air in his ship suddenly felt sharp as knives as the Hunter glared at the menacing line of the incoming flight. His grip on the ship's controls tightened and he set his jaw before reopening his comms. His voice was even but with a brooding undertone.

“Mi Kyong, regroup and bring those fighters with you. I'll keep them in front of you so long as you can keep those Hydras coming.”

_< < On it! >>_

“Hoya, get out of there. You're in bad shape but you should still be able to outrun them.”

_< < I can't just leave. >> _

“That's an _order!_ ”

His third stayed silent for a few moments. _< < Roger. Disengaging. >> _

A warning indicator appeared on his HUD, the incoming flight had him targeted and he armed his EML; a fierce determination taking over his actions. He took no notice of his wingmates’ tags, his eyes locked onto the square outlines of his next targets.

The distance counter beneath the target icons ticked down wildly as he streaked into battle. Without jamming to interfere with his aim, he had no trouble lining up his shot at the lead craft.

A flash of lightning split the air and the lead interceptor shattered from Kalek's EML. The remaining craft broke formation, splitting off in an attempt to surround his ship. Another round would be ready in moments and he quickly began tracking his next target. One of the craft just beside the lead had a shallower break angle thank the rest and the next strike came without hesitation. Missiles and cannon fire from the incoming ships filled the air but he stayed on target, rolling through their attacks, he kept the target ship on his sights and pulled the trigger. Another round punched through the second ship and he immediately pulled up hard into the clouds, his body pressed hard against his seat as another missile whizzed beneath him. His heart raced as he took on the frenzied forces, ships darted around him and their shots zipped past from all directions. These interceptors were more agile, thinner with faster armaments and more pronounced features that he hardly caught a glimpse of as they zipped through his field of view.

Several rounds knocked atop his hull and his gaze immediately snapped to the craft that looped around to his left irritation bubbling up in his gut. He banked hard to give chase, pouncing on his opportunity to retaliate. Focused hard, his eyes narrowed, matching the other ships speed and evasive maneuvers as he gained a lock. His window arrived as the craft straightened out for just a second and let loose a missile that started his chain of attacks.

Flashes of lightning and explosions filled the skies where the two forces met. Each bolt of lightning highlighting his next target as they fell one by one to his vengeful retaliation. His missile alert system never ceased its calls but he paid no mind, for he was not operating by thought, but by consequence of the storm. As he fought he found them becoming one. He felt each crack of thunder shake through the ships hull and into the controls in his grasp. The winds pulled at his craft and he gave with its beckoning to hasten his turns. Where once he was outnumbered, the field was now even. The skies had answered his silent calls and the Cabal would wither as they took on the Thunderdevil.

Three ships remained when another voice buzzed through the comms and broke his trance.

_< < Heads up, you've got company coming in hot! >> _

He snapped his gaze to where Mi Kyong's IFF tag was climbing high from the City bringing four more targets behind her. Rolling into a dive out of the thick clouds, he targeted the ship closest on her tail and lined up his shot.

“I've got one in my sights, break left!”

Their engines screamed as the two closed in on one another, each targeting the cloud of enemies that trailed behind the other. Louder and louder until they rocketed past each other, wings parallel as they twisted through.

_ << Hard lock! Hydras away! >>_

“Drive! Drive!”

A volley of twelve micro missiles roared from racks above and below her hull and one of Kalek's rounds cracked loud.

His shot landed, but when the spiraling frame of his kill blazed past him, his hands tingled and he felt a dizziness as the others darted past. He screwed his eyes shut and leveled out his flight in an attempt to let the feeling pass. After a moment, his head calmed down and the dizziness subsided into a dull ache at the back of his head before he noticed a muffled voice in his ear.

“...What?” 

_< < I said they're circling back to you, stall them until I can lock another volley! >> _

He looked over his shoulder and saw the three remaining attackers doing just as Mi Kyong stated.

“Yeah, on it.” He replied, voice laden with fresh fatigue. He shook his head and hammered on the throttle, regaining his composure despite his disorientation.

“How long?” He barked before banking right towards the City.

_ << Fifteen… >>_ Her voice trailed off for a moment before the skies lit up a bright orange. _< < Kalek… the Traveler… >>_

He brought his eyes up to the City center and felt the weight of pure dread set on his shoulders. A barrier of burning orange spread around the Traveler's surface, bathing the city in a menacing glow. The sensation at the back of his head intensified and spread until he suddenly felt two jolts rock through him. The first, a missile impact at his wing, throwing his ship into a spiral. The second more internal, one that left him powerless, one that felt shared and drew away his consciousness as the City buildings hurtled closer. He tried to regain control but his muscles strained feebly against the flight stick. Screams of agony and panic flooded the comms but he could only make out a few as their voices faded into the dark.

<< I'm hit! >>

He heaved a sigh of defeat, feeling himself sink further into his seat. The heavy emotion he felt having the fleeting hope of victory snatched from his grasp now quickly dulling as his world faded to black.

<< Eject, Hoya! Hoya? Gah!>>

The last familiar voice silenced by a static-filled boom and he let his eyes drift closed.

All that was left now was the fall.


End file.
